Juventus leaves Celtic's Champions League dream in tatters

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Updated 2339 GMT (0739 HKT) February 12, 2013

Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Celtic cauldron – Celtic had suffered just two home defeats in 23 Champions League games before welcoming Juventus to Parkhead. The Scottish champion saw off the might of Barcelona in the Group Stage with the famous Celtic atmosphere a huge factor in the team's success.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Magic Matri – Alessandro Matri gave Juventus the perfect start by firing the Italian side ahead after just three minutes. Matri's effort was adjudged to have crossed the line before Claudio Marchisio smashed the ball into the back of the net.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Party time – Juventus stun Celtic Park thanks to Matri's early strike and temporarily silence one of the most partisan crowds in European football. The goal came following a dreadful defensive error from Efe Ambrose, who helped Nigerian win the Africa Cup of Nations just last Sunday.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

I'm watching you – Celtic captain Scott Brown rages at Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo during the high octane clash. Pirlo, who played a starring role in Italy's run to the World Cup Final last year, was outstanding once again at the heart of the Juventus midfield.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Hard for Hooper – Celtic striker Gary Hooper had scored 22 goals in 34 appearances before taking on Juventus Tuesday, but the in-form forward couldn't find a way past a deteremined Italian defense.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Double trouble – Claudio Marchisio celebrates after firing Juventus into a 2-0 lead with 13 minutes remaining. After enduring a barrage of Celtic pressure, Marchisio rounded off an incisive move to inflict further damage upon the home side.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Game over – Mirko Vucinic rubbed salt into Celtic wounds by firing home his side's third and final goal in the 83rd minute following another defensive mistake by Efe Ambrose. The tie is all but over going into the second leg in Turin on March 6.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Beckham's back – David Beckham was in attendance to watch his new club Paris Saint-Germain take on Valencia in the last-16 of the European Champions League. Beckham recently signed a five-month deal to play in the French capital and hopes to make his debut in the next couple of weeks.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Fast start – Ezequiel Lavezzi celebrates his early strike for Paris Saint-Germain with teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Argentine struck in the 10th minute and has now scored in each of his past three Champions League games.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Perfect Pastore – Javier Pastore doubled PSG's lead with just two minutes of the first half remaining after a flowing move scythed through the Valencia defense. The talented Argentine playmaker was just one of a number of stars on show for the French club along with Ibrahimovic, Lucas Moura and Lavezzi.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Red mist – Ibrahimovic was shown a straight red card following a controversial studs-up challenge on Andres Guardado. It was the Swede's third red of his Champions League career, only Edgar Davids, four, has more. It means that the striker will miss the second leg in Paris.

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Champions League: It's back!12 photos

Rami's rocking – Valencia's Adil Rami pulled a goal back in the final minute to give his side a lifeline going into the second leg in France. The La Liga side had won all eight of its Champions League home against French opposition before Tuesday's defeat.

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Story highlights

Juventus claims 3-0 win at Celtic in first leg of last-16 tie

Italian champion now in pole position to qualify for quarterfinal

Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off in Paris Saint-Germain's 2-1 win at Valencia

Ibrahimovic will miss the second leg on March 6

Juventus took a giant step towards the quarterfinals of the European Champions League following a crushing 3-0 win over Celtic.

Alesandro Matri's early strike and further goals from Claudio Marchisio and Mirko Vucinic completed a perfect night's work for the Italian champions.

There was also success for Paris Saint-Germain, which claimed a 2-1 away win at Valencia, although it must do without star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the second leg after he was shown a straight red card.

Ezequiel Lavezzi and Javier Pastore had given the French club a two goal lead at the break, but Adil Rami's late strike and Ibrahimovic's dismissal means its all to play for in the French capital in three weeks time.

Lisbon Lions

While PSG might still have to sweat, no such problems are expected for Serie A leaders and two-time European Cup winners Juventus.

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Dressed in all black and surrounded by the cauldron of Celtic Park, Juventus headed out to face one of the most intimidating atmospheres in European football.

With the majority of the 57,917 crowd clad in green and white bellowing out their support for the Scottish champion, it was clear that this night was something special.

Back in the knockout phase for the first time in five years, Celtic was dreaming of the glory days when it ruled the continent following its legendary cup final win of 1967.

The victory over the might of Inter Milan in Lisbon, led to the team, which was to become known as the 'Lisbon Lions', becoming the first non-Latin side to win the trophy.

Managed by the legendary Jock Stein, all of the players were born within a 30 mile radius of Glasgow.

On May 24 1967, Lisbon was overrun with the green and white of Celtic and not that of local club Sporting.

Goals from Tommy Gemmel and Stevie Chalmers secured victory over an Inter side which had won three of the four past editions of the competition.

"There is not a prouder man on God's Earth than me at this moment," said Stein following the triumph.

"Winning was important, but it was the way that we won that has filled me with satisfaction.

"We did it by playing football; pure, beautiful, inventive football. There was not a negative thought in our heads."

That night in Lisbon is never far from memory whenever the words 'Europe' and 'Celtic' are mentioned in the same breath. They are synonomous.

When Real rained on United's parade 8 photos

When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

The Real deal – The Real Madrid team poses for a photograph ahead of the second leg of the European Cup semifinal against Manchester United at Old Trafford in 1957 with captain Alfredo Di Stefano clutching his side's pennant.

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When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

Busby's Babes – Manchester United, who were the 1956 and 1957 league champions, became the first English side to take part in the European Cup, reaching the semifinals before being beaten by Real Madrid. Tragically, six of the United players who faced Madrid were killed in Munich the following year.

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When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

A tragic end – Duncan Edwards, one of the greatest players of his generation, lost his life in the Munich Air Disaster in 1958 at the age of 21. He was the youngest player to represent England after the war and won two league titles with the club before his life was so tragically cut short.

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When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

Captain until the last – Roger Byrne captained Manchester United under manager Matt Busby but he too lost his life in the Munich Air Disaster of 1958. An inspirational and charismatic figure, he was Busby's leader on the pitch until his death. Just days after he passed away, his widow Joy discovered she was pregnant.

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When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

Bobby dazzler – After survivng the Munich Air Crash at the age of 20, Bobby Charlton went on to become both a local and national hero for club and country. He scored 249 goals in 758 appearances for Manchester United during a 17-year playing career. He won three league titles, the 1963 FA Cup and 1968 European Cup. He was also a key member of the England side which won the World Cup on home soil in 1966 and he remains the country's top scorer to this very day with 49 international goals.

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When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

Pegged back – David Pegg had caused Real all sorts of problems in the first leg of the semifinal leading the Spaniards to fetch in Valencia's tough-tackling defender Manuel Torres on-loan for one game only. Pegg made his debut at the age of 17 after joining straight from school and had been tipped to shine on the international stage until his untimely death in Munich at the age of 22.

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When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

Never forgotten – This giant mural outside Old Trafford next to the statue of Busby depicts the United team lining up at their European Cup game with Red Star Belgrade before the disaster at Munich airport on February 6, 1958. Their legacy will never be forgotten.

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When Real rained on United's parade8 photos

Kings of Europe – Real Madrid dominated European football during the 1950s by winning the competition five times in succession between 1955 and 1960. Hungarian star Ferenc Puskas joined the club in 1958 to link up with Di Stefano, Kopa, Gento and Rial to form one of the most exciting teams ever seen.

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EXPAND GALLERY

Ronaldo fires United warning 5 photos

Ronaldo fires United warning5 photos

Ronaldo fires United warning – Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo warmed up for the Champions League clash with his former club Manchester United by scoring a hat-trick in the 4-1 victory at home to Sevilla.

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Ronaldo fires United warning5 photos

Mancini's misery – English Premier League leaders United are in pole position to reclaim the title from Manchester City, whose manager Roberto Mancini was furious with his players after a 3-1 defeat at Southampton.

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Ronaldo fires United warning5 photos

Barry's blooper – City's low point came when Gareth Barry -- who had been at fault for the first goal -- passed the ball into his own net to restore Southampton's advantage after Edin Dzeko had reduced the deficit just before the break.

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Ronaldo fires United warning5 photos

Sock-er style – Alessandro Matri helped Juventus move five points clear in Italy's Serie A, scoring the second goal in the 2-0 win at home to Fiorentina despite losing his boot before firing into the net.

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Ronaldo fires United warning5 photos

Alaba double – David Alaba helped Bayern Munich move 15 points clear in Germany's Bundesliga, with the 20-year-old Austrian scoring twice in the 4-0 win at home to Schalke.

Evergreen Giggs – Veteran Ryan Giggs scored a 13th-minute opener, meaning the 39-year-old has now been on target for each of last 23 league seasons.

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Man Utd move 12 points clear4 photos

Munich remembered – Before the match, United fans held aloft a banner honoring the victims of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster,which killed eight of the club's players among 23 dead.

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Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario 7 photos

Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario7 photos

Home again – Mario Balotelli was mobbed by fans outside a restaurant as he returned home to Italy to complete his $30 million move from AC Milan to Manchester City.

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Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario7 photos

Training ground fracas – His future at the English Premier League champions had been in doubt since his training ground bust-up with manager Roberto Mancini in early January, when coaching staff had to intervene to separate the pair. Mancini later downplayed the tussle, sparked by Balotelli's hostile tackle on a fellow player, as "nothing unusual."

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Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario7 photos

Balotelli's breakthrough – Balotelli made his Inter Milan debut in 2007 after being signed by the club at the age of 15. He scored the first goals of his senior career in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina in December of that year.

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Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario7 photos

Testing the Special One – Balotelli joined Manchester City from Italian club Inter Milan. His relationship with Inter coach Jose Mourinho endured numerous ups and downs. Disciplinary issues littered his time at the San Siro and the situation came to a head in March 2010, when Balotelli was left out of Inter's squad for a Champions League tie after an altercation with Mourinho.

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Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario7 photos

Red mist – Mancini was Balotelli's first coach at Inter Milan and the pair were reunited in 2010 when the striker joined Manchester City. The start of Balotelli's City career was disrupted by injury, but he finally scored his first Premier League goals in a 2-0 away win at West Bromwich Albion. His joy at netting a brace was short-lived, however, as he was sent off after picking up two yellow cards.

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Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario7 photos

'Why always me?' – Balotelli became a hit with City's fans, as much for off-field antics as his goalscoring. His stock with the supporters was never higher than in October 2011, when he scored twice in City's 6-1 thumping of neighbors Manchester United at Old Trafford. After scoring the first goal in City's victory, he revealed a t-shirt stating "Why always me?" -- instantly creating one of the most iconic images of the Premier League era. City went to beat United to the English title on goal difference with a dramatic last-gasp victory over Queens Park Rangers on the final day of the season.

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Being Balotelli: The life and times of Mario7 photos

Super Mario – Balotelli reminded everyone of his undoubted talent during the 2012 European Championships. He scored three times as Italy reached the final, including both goals in the Azzurri's 2-1 semi win over Germany. Italy lost 4-0 to Spain in the final of the tournament co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.